Downtown to be decked for Christmas; parade is Friday Nov. 29

Parade entries due

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce has extended registration for the Starlight Parade until Friday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m.

“We want to get as many entries into the parade as possible,” said chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson.

The Starlight Parade will be Friday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m. starting at West Eighth Street and Cherry Heights Road. Its theme is “Parade of Trees” in honor of the community Christmas tree.

“We are looking forward to seeing many of those Christmas season ideas,” Farquharson said.

To receive an application form, email info@thedallescha... or stop by the chamber office at 404 West 2nd St., The Dalles 97058.

The Dalles  Downtown The Dalles will amp up the holiday atmosphere this year with more lights and more activities.

A number of local organizations are working together to coordinate activities, starting with the traditional Starlight Parade on Friday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m., but the fun won’t end there. More activities will follow at the chamber offices.

“The chamber is working on having an Oregon State University-University of Oregon tree at the beginning of the parade,” said Lisa Farquharson, chamber CEO, in honor of the annual Civil War game between the two university football teams, which is taking place the same evening.

The parade theme this year is “Parade of Trees” in honor of the revival of the community Christmas Tree. Years ago, a community Christmas tree was erected in the parking lot of the Elks Building at Third and Washington streets. Since that tradition ended, the city hasn’t had a community tree or a lighting ceremony.

Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson, who grew up in The Dalles, made it a goal to resurrect the community tree. The chamber’s own evergreen will be recruited for the purpose this year, with the lighting ceremony to follow the parade at about 7:30 p.m.

The lights for the tree were donated by Home Depot and Luciano Cruz tree service has agreed to put the lights up. The Dalles Mayor Steve Lawrence has been invited to flip the switch.

The sleigh that concludes the parade, operated by Gary Honald, will deliver Santa and Mrs. Claus to the event. The jolly old elf and his spouse come to the event courtesy of The Dalles Kiwanis Club. Visits with Santa will be offered until 9 p.m. in the Chamber lobby with a photographer on hand to capture the moment. Hot cocoa and cookies will be served.

“And Chad Sperry is donating his stage, sound equipment and canopies so we can have music,” Farquharson said. Discover Rentals is also donating equipment and Safeway will have 500 cookies ready for holiday revelers.

Pentland Street and Second Place adjacent to the chamber will be blocked off for the event. Urness Motors has made the parking lot across Second Street available for parking and will have the lights on for safety. Parking is also available at the nearby swimming pool lot, just across the Mill Creek bridge from the chamber.

The Nov. 29 event won’t be Santa’s only appearance downtown. He will be taking up residence at the former Griffith Motors building at Third and Jefferson streets every Saturday in December until Christmas. Final details about refreshments and times will be announced at a later date.

“We wanted to have it there so that it would work with the Marketplace at the Mint,” said Matthew Klebes, The Dalles Main Street coordinator. The marketplace of local vendors is every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Mint, which is on East Second Street just a block east of the former Griffith building.

People visiting downtown for the event will have a chance to see the business district decked out in more lights for the holiday season, thanks to a partnership between the chamber, the Port of The Dalles and The Dalles Main Street. The three organizations have jointly funded 120 strands of lights, one for each of the lighting standards on Second Street from the roundabout at the east end to the Union Street underpass to the west.

The lights were purchased at a reduced price from Sawyer’s True Value. They will be erected this weekend by volunteers from the chamber YoPros (Young Professionals), Main Street, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, and others.

“All these groups have come together to make it happen,” said Kathy Norton of the port.

Norton is coordinating another downtown decorating effort. She is looking for volunteers to decorate vacant storefront windows to give the downtown an even more festive air. She can be contacted for more information, or to volunteer, at the port, 541-298-4148 ext. 203, or email Kathy@portofthedalles.com.